1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a face panel for a computer housing, more particularly to a face panel for a computer housing which has a mounting hole for insertion of a data access device and which permits a cover plate assembly to be mounted in the mounting hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a face panel 1 of a conventional computer housing includes a face panel body 11, and a plurality of covers 12 removably assembled to the face panel body 11. The face panel body 11 includes an upright wall 111, a mounting hole 113 formed in the upright wall 111, and a surrounding wall 112 projecting rearwardly from the upright wall 111 and defining the mounting hole 113. The surrounding wall 112 is for mounting of data access devices, such as an optical disk drive, therein. The surrounding wall 112 has two shoulder portions 114 located respectively at left and right sides thereof and at an intermediate part. Each of the covers 12 includes a cover plate 121 mounted in the mounting hole 113, and two pairs of engaging hooks 122 projecting from a rear side of the respective cover plate 121 for engaging a rear end of the surrounding wall 112. Each of the engaging hooks 122 has a resilient arm 123 projecting rearwardly from the respective cover plate 121, and an engaging portion 124 projecting from a distal end of the resilient arm 123.
Each of the covers 12 is retained and secured on the face panel body 11 when a rear end of the cover plate 121 thereof abuts against the shoulder portions 114 of the surrounding wall 112 and when the engaging portions 124 of the engaging hooks 122 thereof engage the rear end of the surrounding wall 112. When it is desired to remove the cover 12, a user needs to force the engaging portions 124 of each of the pairs of engaging hooks 122 inwardly at the same time from a rear side of the face panel body 11 to disengage the engaging portions 124 of the engaging hooks 122 from the rear end of the surrounding wall 112 in order to detach the cover 12 from the face panel body 11.
However, the configuration of the engaging hooks 122 of the covers 12 requires that the removal operation of the covers 12 be conducted from the rear side of the face panel body 11. The removal operation cannot be conducted from a front side of the face panel body 11, which is inconvenient for the user during removal. Furthermore, if a force is improperly applied by the user during removal of the covers 12, breaking of the engaging hooks 122 may occur, thereby rendering it impossible to re-assemble the covers 12 to the face panel body 11.